Igbo Should Be Blamed For Drug Abuse In The North – Varsity Don

As Northern Nigeria grapples with high incidence of drug abuse, a lecturer with the Bayero University, Malam Bala Mohammed, says Nigerians of Igbo extraction should be held responsible

Mohammed, who is of the Faculty of Communication, alleged that available statistics points to “unscrupulous Igbo drug dealers as brain behind the scourge”.

While explaining that “this is not hate speech,” he maintained that “my position was grounded on the available statistics of suspects that have been arrested in connection with supply and distribution of illicit drugs in the North to Igbos.”

Making the allegation while presenting a paper at the Kano Youth Summit on Peace Advocacy and Development, organised by Hamisu Magaji Foundation, at Mambayya House, the varsity don said they were locals who collaborated with the Igbo for the social menace.

In his paper, titled: “Nexus Between Youth, Drugs, Crime And Insecurity”, Mohammed wondered why drug abuse was not prevalent in the southeast region, but the Igbo people resorted to supplying illicit drugs to the north.

“Our investigation revealed that drug abuse is beyond normal marijuana, cocaine, alcohol, etc, it has moved to the extent that the medicines we take in order to cure our diseases are now being converted into hard drugs.

“We discovered that it is the handiwork of the Igbo people, who connived with the locals to supply codeine into our region, especially Kano state.

“There are many instances where Igbo were arrested for supplying codeine into Kano and some parts of the north. The cases have been reported on national dailies.

“So, why shouldn’t they take it to their region? Why don’t their youth engage in drug abuse? This is really sad, and we have to rise up to fight this menace,” he stated.

Speaking earlier, the chairman, Hamisu Magaji Foundation, said the essence of the summit was to enlighten the youth ahead of the 2019 elections.

He decried that despite the massive contributions of youths to nation building, they have little or no access to leadership positions in the country.